Grateful

We had a lesson in Relief Society today about how we can be grateful in any circumstance! I often fail at this statement :( I wonder why we don't have the time or finances to get us further or help us to have more fun! I wish for things that are truly not necessary. And with this wishing I find my heart becomes ungrateful for the things I do have! This lesson was based on a talk given by one of my favorite General Authorities, President Deiter F. Uchtdorf. He says that we can all be grateful in any circumstance, it is totally our choice. "As disciples of Christ, we are commanded to “thank the Lord [our] God in all things," to “sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving," and to “let [our] heart be full of thanks unto God.” So, with Thanksgiving upon us, my favorite holiday next to Christmas, I would like to give thanks for all I have been blessed with.

The number one thing I am most thankful for is my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am thankful for the life he lived so that I can follow in his example and be perfected in Him. I am thankful for the knowledge I have of the gospel and even though I can't truly comprehend the pain and suffering he went through, I know He did it out of love and humility so that I can be here on this earth living with my free agency, knowing I can return to live in His presence once again, as long as I stay true and faithful to the teachings of Our Heavenly Father! 

Second, I am so grateful for Jared. He is such an example of patience and long suffering to me. He works very hard to provide for our family. I love that he has made our home for us, a place of refuge and safety. I know he has many stresses related to farm living but he does well to push that stress aside and get to work. He is an amazing father and loves all our children uncontitionally.  He takes them out to work with him even if it's more of an inconvenience. He is compassionate toward others and sensitive to the needs of others as well.

Thirdly, I am truly thankful for our three children. Though they totally exasperate me at times I do really love them. I love how helpful Emry is and how grown up she is becoming. She is fun to visit with, fun to go shopping with and just plain fun to be around!! I am thankful for how sweet and polite Calum is. And I'm thankful for little Armin and how he will tell me he loves me every chance he gets!!! I am thankful our children are starting to want to play together more often and I really hope they develop their relationship to become as strong and as close as possible.

I am thankful for my health, though I could stand to lose a few pounds ;) I'm thankful for my jobs, the Pharmacy, and as an aide in the kindergarten. I'm thankful for the freedoms I enjoy in this amazing country and I am so proud to stand and call myself Canadian.  I am thankful for my health, and the health of my family. I am thankful for a mom and a mother in law who live so close and for all they teach me regularily.  I am thankful for a sister and for sister in laws who live so close too, I'm thankful for all they teach me daily.

There is much to be thankful for and no matter the circumstance I can be grateful! "It's not happy people who are grateful, it's grateful people who are happy!"